For the love of Remus and Tonks :) Part 1
by somuchtimesolittletodo
Summary: Part 1 of (currently 2). A story about how Remus and Tonks met and fell in love, because theirs is a love lesson of acceptance. Please leave (constructive!) feedback :)
Part 1

I was busy metamorphosing my nose when a dishevelled figure walked in. Ginny and Hermione were in fits of giggles and so didn't notice him. He had dark hair with flecks of grey and a young face that was prematurely lined, as though the owner had been through many hardships. He had a purple-looking gash under his right eye, which must have been a few days old. It didn't stop the figure smiling kindly at the room as everyone greeted him.

'Remus!' Sirius had clapped him on the back. Molly set the pans of creamy pasta down on the oaken dining table and pulled a chair out for him ushering him into the seat opposite me.

I didn't notice the last nose I had switched to was hooked and had curly nose hairs until I felt them on my lip as he looked over curiously.

I pulled a face and returned to normal and he smiled, 'You must be Nymphadora?'

'It's Tonks.' I said quickly, before I could stop myself.

'Tonks.' He repeated. His voice was deep and gravelly and his tone was kind.

'Have some pasta,' I said enthusiastically and the motion of moving toward the ladle in the pasta dish upset a jug of pumpkin juice. I stood to mop up the rivulets which were now spreading on the table but Molly beat me to it. 'Oh Tonks!' She exclaimed.

My ears reddened.

Lupin laughed. I smiled tentatively. 'Err- I'm really clumsy…'

He pretended to wipe a tear and I continued, 'Nearly failed the Auror exam for Espionage and Concealment'.

'I haven't laughed like that in a while.' He replied.

I knew _of_ Lupin. His mission from Dumbledore had been to infiltrate the werewolf ranks and monitor the movements of Fenrir Greyback. Judging by the healing cut on his brow it looked as though it was a difficult job.

I wanted to ask him about it but the kids were around.

He turned to Sirius and started talking. I busied myself with pasta and Ginny and Hermione's requests for famous noses.

We met again by chance. I had been asked to station myself in Diagon Alley and monitor movements of known Death Eaters.

The sky was black, not even a star out. I yawned quietly and stood with my back to Knockturn Alley beside Florean Fortescue's shop when I saw a white light, it had looked like a patronus.

I hurried down the steps and stayed in the shadows, not wanting to reveal myself. Ahead, two wizards were arguing. One lifted his sleeve and pointed at something on his arm; he was a death eater. I recognised him as Macnair. What was he doing here? The other had his hood up and his face was indistinct at this distance.

I didn't hear the sound of footsteps creeping until he was inches from me. I felt a tap on the shoulder and looked round curiously and was about to let out a cry of surprise when his hand closed over my mouth. The ensuing squeak drew the attention of the two wizards and the hooded of the two said hurriedly, 'get rid of them.' He disapparated.

Macnair was advancing slowly. Something was shimmering a few feet away but he was not paying attention to it, instead concentrating on the shadowy figures in the distance.

A scream and Macnair was floored.

'Run,' said the voice calmly beside me.

He pulled me along, down two back lanes and pushed me into what could only be described as a cranny.

I shut my eyes tight. Remus was inches from me.

The limping death eater had called his colleagues and they passed within inches of us, seemingly not noticing us. We were breathing hard when I looked up at him. Our eyes met for a second and I quickly looked down feeling something cold and wet trickle down my back. His wand was out. He must have cast a disillusionment charm.

'We should move,' he breathed, and inched out of the gap. I followed him as he looked around and then disapparated.

We reappeared some feet from Sirius' old home, the Headquarters of the Order of Phoenix. I followed him quietly toward the front door. Neither of us said anything.

'What were you doing there, Remus?' I asked curiously.

'Are you always this direct?' he asked.

'Yup.' I said simply. 'Dumbledore set me on the escaped death eaters last month. There was a rumour they were hiding out in Diagon Alley – seems like it's true.'

Remus nodded and sat down on a bench in the square.

I looked around. There were no lights on in the other houses. The muggles were all asleep.

'Thanks,' I said.

'No problem. It was my fault you got caught there.'

I was about to say no when he did something curious. He seemed to shuffle away from me slightly.

We were sitting on a pretty short bench. Remus was now on the edge.

I raised an eyebrow. 'What are you doing?' I asked.

Remus looked slightly abashed. 'You know what I am?'

I nodded. 'But you don't need to do that. Unless I'm making you uncomfortable. Am I making you uncomfortable? Because if I am I can move this way.' And I shuffled to the other edge with so much enthusiasm that I nearly fell off. He caught my arm last second and I regained my balance.

'Sorry.' I said for the umpteenth time.

'You must say that a lot.' He said, surveying me.

'You too?' I asked. He nodded.

I looked down at his hands.

There were new cuts there. 'Your eye looks better.'

Remus touched the spot where the gash had been and smiled.

'Yes.'

We sat in silence for a few seconds. I felt uncomfortable, I talked a lot usually.

Just as I was about to open my mouth he asked, 'Can you do something for me Tonks?'

I met his eye and nodded.

'Keep Sirius safe. He's talking recklessly again, and I don't think it's just Snape's sniping. He's been cooped up too long.'

I nodded again.

'You've been friends for a long time?'

Remus gave the affirmative and started talking about their time at school together.

I found I liked the sound of his voice. His manner of speaking was slow and deliberate. I was 24 years old. Remus, like my cousin Sirius, was 34. I started to blush. Why was I even thinking this? If he could read my mind.

'Tonks-?'

Remus was looking at me curiously. 'Your hair keeps changing colour.'

'Oh!' I stopped on bubble-gum pink.

'Which do you prefer?' My face squeezed and I had an elaborate blond head of curls.

'I like the original you.' I metamorphosed back to my bubble gum pink hair.

'Much better.' We smiled at each other slightly too long. What was more awkward was that we both noticed it.

'Err- Shall we go inside?' He asked.

I nodded and followed.

He visited sporadically over the course of the next few months. Each time he was around I stayed close to him, sitting close to him during meals, muscling in on conversations.

This did not go unnoticed by Molly.

'What are you going to do about Ted?' she asked one day.

Halfway through game of Exploding Snap, I half-looked up.

'About Remus?'

'What? I said distractedly.

'About-' but she didn't finish. The cards exploded in front of my face and singed my eyebrows.

We hadn't heard the knock at the door but Arthur had walked in, and following him was none other than Remus Lupin.

'What's for dinner?' Asked Arthur.

We said our greetings. I hastily regrew my eyebrows. We talked for a couple of hours and then everyone said their goodbyes and started to go to bed.

I remained behind with Lupin.

Arthur and Molly had been dancing and the radio was on.

Emboldened by Firewhisky I stood suddenly and asked, 'do you want to dance?'

'What?' said Lupin, confused. And then he laughed, because I was swaying slightly.

'Ok,' he said, thinking what harm it could do.

As it turned out, a lot.

'Actually I can't dance,' I confessed as he took my hand.

He took one look at me and laughed again. I had metamorphosed into Celestina Warbeck, the famous singer.

'Merlin's beard.' He murmured, 'That's quite impressive.'

I metamorphosed into Merlin and we fell about laughing. He was still holding my hand.

'Which is better?'

'I liked the original you.' He replied. I remembered the last time he said this as I changed back.

We were standing so close to each other.

'Well… let's dance.'

The bubble gum pink hair was back.

And dance we did. Badly. Remus guided my steps but I seem to miss the floor and step on his toes a lot. I ended up with my shoes off to avoid scuffing his.

My general lack of balance, coupled with the task at hand and the Firewhisky on board meant that I was prone to falling and it was after one of these tumbles that it happened. I pulled Remus down with me. We were both laughing and then I couldn't help myself and touched his face. His smile instantly disappeared and he watched me closely, as though mesmerised.

'You shouldn't, Tonks,' he said as I moved towards him, but even as the words left his lips I was kissing them. It was initially slow and tentative. I met his eyes as he reciprocated and it became slow, passionate, filled with longing.

Remus' hands were running through my hair. Something stirred in me. I wanted him to keep going.

He was slowing as though to stop. I kissed his neck and he started to move away, sitting up.

I sat up too, suddenly embarrassed.

'I'm sorry, Dora,' he said quietly, 'I shouldn't do this to you. I'll try to stay away.'

'What?' I said, feeling bewildered.

Remus sighed and looked at me with what I thought might be a hint of longing. 'I'm too old, too incomplete,' he paused. 'You deserve someone young and whole.'

'I don't understand.' I said, sheepishly, 'do you not like me? Did I just jump you?' I looked down, embarrassed. 'Sorry.'

Remus looked pained, 'It can't work… you'll be shunned. Your family will be.'

I turned from embarrassment to anger.

'Who said I was going to date and marry you Lupin? Maybe I just wanted to use you.'

I cringed as I said it. I sounded like a…

'Because you're not like that, Dora,' he said tenderly. 'You've looked out for me ever since I met you.'

'What about you hmm?'

'How I feel doesn't matter in all of this Dora. You need to be more realistic.'

He stood, as if to go.

I said nothing and looked down as I heard his footsteps on the flagstones as he left the kitchen, and the sound of the front door clicking shut.

Tears welled up and fell when I could no longer not blink.

The house was silent.


End file.
